Khayelitsha outside of Cape Town is reputed to be the largest and fastest growing township in South Africa. The name is translated from Xhosa meaning “New Home.”According to the South African Police 249 sexual crimes were reported between April 2011 and May 2012, however the majority of sexual crimes go unreported.

Lindeka Stulo, Nyanga, Cape Town

In June 2010, Lindeka was attacked while walking home. A man slammed her head into a nearby wall with a heavy crate. Two weeks later, the same man struck her on the back of the head with a bar. “You are a girl not a boy,” he said to her. “You are not meant to be with other girls. I am going to beat you until you stop what you are doing with other girls."

Eudy Simelane, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

Eudy Simelane’s was a well know soccer player, who was training to be a referee for the 2010 World Cup. In April 2008, her body was found in a park in Kwa-Thema outside of Johannesburg. She was gang raped and stabbed 25 times. Two of the four men on trial were convicted. This was the first ever conviction of a so-called corrective rape.

Zukiswa Gaca, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In December 2009, Zukiswa Gaca left a party to buy cigarettes. A man she had just met accompanied her. He led her to a shack where someone was sleeping.

"He said he was going to show me I was a woman so he took off his pants and put a blanket over the man sleeping on the bed. He raped me in front of his friend who just lay there under the blanket."

Pearl Mali, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In 2004 when Pearl Mali was 12-years-old she was raped for the first time by an elderly man that her mother brought home from church. He raped Pearl in her own bedroom, which he did daily until she was 16 years old. “My mother didn’t want me to be gay so she asked him to move in and be my husband. She hoped it would change me.”

Pearl Mali, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In 2004 when Pearl Mali was 12-years-old she was raped for the first time by an elderly man that her mother brought home from church. He raped Pearl in her own bedroom, which he did daily until she was 16 years old. “My mother didn’t want me to be gay so she asked him to move in and be my husband. She hoped it would change me.”

Pearl Mali, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In 2004 when Pearl Mali was 12-years-old she was raped for the first time by an elderly man that her mother brought home from church. He raped Pearl in her own bedroom, which he did daily until she was 16 years old. “My mother didn’t want me to be gay so she asked him to move in and be my husband. She hoped it would change me.”

Tebogo Motswagi, Meadowlands, Soweto

In 2001, Tebogo Motswago was at tavern and followed in to the bathroom. He was raped by seven men and penetrated with a broomstick.

“I was too afraid of the police to open a case. When you go to the police and you are a man and you tell them you have been raped they laugh at you. They say what sort of a man gets raped.”

Dunoon Township, Cape Town

Zanele Jonas, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

In April 2011, the uncle of a close friend abducted and raped Zanele Jonas. He told her, "I am going to show you what it is to be a woman." During the attack, he used a pool cue to repeatedly penetrate her.

Zanele Jonas, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

In April 2011, the uncle of a close friend abducted and raped Zanele Jonas. He told her, "I am going to show you what it is to be a woman." During the attack, he used a pool cue to repeatedly penetrate her.

Zanele Jonas, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

In April 2011, the uncle of a close friend abducted and raped Zanele Jonas. He told her, "I am going to show you what it is to be a woman." During the attack, he used a pool cue to repeatedly penetrate her.

Thamsanqa Mdluli, Meadowlands, Soweto

In November 1994, Thamsanqa Mdluli was at a tavern and accepted a lift home from a friend of his brother. When he got into car, there were other men.

"They started beating me, stripping me naked and raping me. One of them kept saying, ‘We are going to show you that you are a man and we are going to restore your manhood so that you will stay a man forever.’ "

Nqobile Khumalo Kwamashu Township, Durban

In May 2011, Khumalo was raped and murdered in Kwamashu township in Durban. Her ex-boyfriend later confessed to the crime, stating that he had killed her because he could not accept that she had left him for another woman.

Noxolo Nkosana, Lower Crossroads, Cape Town

In June 2011, Noxolo Nkosana was walking home when she heard homophobic taunts by a group of guys behind her. “They attacked me because I am a lesbian. They were saying fucking tomboy, fucking lesbian, accusing me of taking their girls. They said they were trying to ‘teach me a lesson.’”

Noxolo Nkosana, Lower Crossroads, Cape Town

In June 2011, Noxolo Nkosana was walking home when she heard homophobic taunts by a group of guys behind her. “They attacked me because I am a lesbian. They were saying fucking tomboy, fucking lesbian, accusing me of taking their girls. They said they were trying to ‘teach me a lesson.’”

Simphiwe Thandeka, Ashdown, Pietermaritzburg

Simphiwe was a victim of corrective rape on three separate occasions by three different men, her uncle, a family friend and a local priest resulting in two pregnancies and HIV. Her children are called Sibusiso and Luvuyo which translates to Happiness and Blessing.

Nono Ntshangan, Nyanga, Cape Town

After Nono Ntshangan’s cousin discovered she was a lesbian, he raped her each time he saw her. She had his daughter in 2000. "He never approved of me being a lesbian, he always wanted me to be a girl."

After the last incident Nono went to the hospital and discovered she was pregnant. “I told my Aunt what had happened and my family dismissed it.They never approved of me being a lesbian, they always wanted me to be a girl.”

Noxolo Nogwasa, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

In 2011, Noxolo Nogwasa's body was found in an alleyway in the Kwa-Thema township of Johannesburg. She was brutally raped. She was found mutilated and unrecognizable; her were eyes pulled from their sockets; her brain was split open; and her teeth were scattered around her body. Her mother sits by her grave.

Noxolo Nogwasa, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

In 2011, Noxolo Nogwasa's body was found in an alleyway in the Kwa-Thema township of Johannesburg. She was brutally raped. She was found mutilated and unrecognizable; her were eyes pulled from their sockets; her brain was split open; and her teeth were scattered around her body. Her mother sits by her grave.

Noxolo Nogwasa, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

In 2011, Noxolo Nogwasa's body was found in an alleyway in the Kwa-Thema township of Johannesburg. She was brutally raped. She was found mutilated and unrecognizable; her were eyes pulled from their sockets; her brain was split open; and her teeth were scattered around her body. Her mother sits by her grave.

Lungile Dla Dla, Daveyton, Johannesburg

Lungile stands in a field were she and a friend were raped by gunpoint in February 2010. "He started saying he was going to show us that we are women and we are not men. He undressed us first and then tied our hands and feet. I remember thinking, please not again, because my dad had raped me when I was seven.”

Corrective Rape

By Clare Carter

Khayelitsha Township, Cape Town

Khayelitsha outside of Cape Town is reputed to be the largest and fastest growing township in South Africa. The name is translated from Xhosa meaning “New Home.”According to the South African Police 249 sexual crimes were reported between April 2011 and May 2012, however the majority of sexual crimes go unreported.

Lindeka Stulo, Nyanga, Cape Town

In June 2010, Lindeka was attacked while walking home. A man slammed her head into a nearby wall with a heavy crate. Two weeks later, the same man struck her on the back of the head with a bar. “You are a girl not a boy,” he said to her. “You are not meant to be with other girls. I am going to beat you until you stop what you are doing with other girls."

Eudy Simelane, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

Eudy Simelane’s was a well know soccer player, who was training to be a referee for the 2010 World Cup. In April 2008, her body was found in a park in Kwa-Thema outside of Johannesburg. She was gang raped and stabbed 25 times. Two of the four men on trial were convicted. This was the first ever conviction of a so-called corrective rape.

Zukiswa Gaca, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In December 2009, Zukiswa Gaca left a party to buy cigarettes. A man she had just met accompanied her. He led her to a shack where someone was sleeping.

"He said he was going to show me I was a woman so he took off his pants and put a blanket over the man sleeping on the bed. He raped me in front of his friend who just lay there under the blanket."

Pearl Mali, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In 2004 when Pearl Mali was 12-years-old she was raped for the first time by an elderly man that her mother brought home from church. He raped Pearl in her own bedroom, which he did daily until she was 16 years old. “My mother didn’t want me to be gay so she asked him to move in and be my husband. She hoped it would change me.”

Pearl Mali, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In 2004 when Pearl Mali was 12-years-old she was raped for the first time by an elderly man that her mother brought home from church. He raped Pearl in her own bedroom, which he did daily until she was 16 years old. “My mother didn’t want me to be gay so she asked him to move in and be my husband. She hoped it would change me.”

Pearl Mali, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

In 2004 when Pearl Mali was 12-years-old she was raped for the first time by an elderly man that her mother brought home from church. He raped Pearl in her own bedroom, which he did daily until she was 16 years old. “My mother didn’t want me to be gay so she asked him to move in and be my husband. She hoped it would change me.”

Tebogo Motswagi, Meadowlands, Soweto

In 2001, Tebogo Motswago was at tavern and followed in to the bathroom. He was raped by seven men and penetrated with a broomstick.

“I was too afraid of the police to open a case. When you go to the police and you are a man and you tell them you have been raped they laugh at you. They say what sort of a man gets raped.”

Dunoon Township, Cape Town

Zanele Jonas, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

In April 2011, the uncle of a close friend abducted and raped Zanele Jonas. He told her, "I am going to show you what it is to be a woman." During the attack, he used a pool cue to repeatedly penetrate her.

Zanele Jonas, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

In April 2011, the uncle of a close friend abducted and raped Zanele Jonas. He told her, "I am going to show you what it is to be a woman." During the attack, he used a pool cue to repeatedly penetrate her.

Zanele Jonas, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

In April 2011, the uncle of a close friend abducted and raped Zanele Jonas. He told her, "I am going to show you what it is to be a woman." During the attack, he used a pool cue to repeatedly penetrate her.

Thamsanqa Mdluli, Meadowlands, Soweto

In November 1994, Thamsanqa Mdluli was at a tavern and accepted a lift home from a friend of his brother. When he got into car, there were other men.

"They started beating me, stripping me naked and raping me. One of them kept saying, ‘We are going to show you that you are a man and we are going to restore your manhood so that you will stay a man forever.’ "

Nqobile Khumalo Kwamashu Township, Durban

In May 2011, Khumalo was raped and murdered in Kwamashu township in Durban. Her ex-boyfriend later confessed to the crime, stating that he had killed her because he could not accept that she had left him for another woman.

Noxolo Nkosana, Lower Crossroads, Cape Town

In June 2011, Noxolo Nkosana was walking home when she heard homophobic taunts by a group of guys behind her. “They attacked me because I am a lesbian. They were saying fucking tomboy, fucking lesbian, accusing me of taking their girls. They said they were trying to ‘teach me a lesson.’”

Noxolo Nkosana, Lower Crossroads, Cape Town

In June 2011, Noxolo Nkosana was walking home when she heard homophobic taunts by a group of guys behind her. “They attacked me because I am a lesbian. They were saying fucking tomboy, fucking lesbian, accusing me of taking their girls. They said they were trying to ‘teach me a lesson.’”

Simphiwe Thandeka, Ashdown, Pietermaritzburg

Simphiwe was a victim of corrective rape on three separate occasions by three different men, her uncle, a family friend and a local priest resulting in two pregnancies and HIV. Her children are called Sibusiso and Luvuyo which translates to Happiness and Blessing.

Nono Ntshangan, Nyanga, Cape Town

After Nono Ntshangan’s cousin discovered she was a lesbian, he raped her each time he saw her. She had his daughter in 2000. "He never approved of me being a lesbian, he always wanted me to be a girl."

After the last incident Nono went to the hospital and discovered she was pregnant. “I told my Aunt what had happened and my family dismissed it.They never approved of me being a lesbian, they always wanted me to be a girl.”

Noxolo Nogwasa, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

In 2011, Noxolo Nogwasa's body was found in an alleyway in the Kwa-Thema township of Johannesburg. She was brutally raped. She was found mutilated and unrecognizable; her were eyes pulled from their sockets; her brain was split open; and her teeth were scattered around her body. Her mother sits by her grave.

Noxolo Nogwasa, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

In 2011, Noxolo Nogwasa's body was found in an alleyway in the Kwa-Thema township of Johannesburg. She was brutally raped. She was found mutilated and unrecognizable; her were eyes pulled from their sockets; her brain was split open; and her teeth were scattered around her body. Her mother sits by her grave.

Noxolo Nogwasa, Kwa-Thema, Johannesburg

In 2011, Noxolo Nogwasa's body was found in an alleyway in the Kwa-Thema township of Johannesburg. She was brutally raped. She was found mutilated and unrecognizable; her were eyes pulled from their sockets; her brain was split open; and her teeth were scattered around her body. Her mother sits by her grave.

Lungile Dla Dla, Daveyton, Johannesburg

Lungile stands in a field were she and a friend were raped by gunpoint in February 2010. "He started saying he was going to show us that we are women and we are not men. He undressed us first and then tied our hands and feet. I remember thinking, please not again, because my dad had raped me when I was seven.”